


tangles

by magictodestroy



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Gen, Hair Brushing, I love Ging, Little Kite, Tickling, fight me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-21
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-22 05:58:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13757757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magictodestroy/pseuds/magictodestroy
Summary: Ging brushes Kite's hair.





	1. Chapter 1

‘You’ve got a lot of hair, kid.’ Ging holds Kite’s head firmly as the comb catches on a tangle.

Kite looks back at him over his shoulder, wide eyed. He opens and closes his mouth and touches his hair.

Ging eyes the tangles. ‘Sure you don’t want to cut it? It’s hair. It grows.’

‘I don’t want to cut it,’ Kite whispers, barely moving his lips.

‘Okay, kid.’

Ging tilts Kite’s head back and works more olive oil into his long, damp hair. He checks the instructions on the laptop next to him and continues to work on the bottom of Kite’s hair.

Kite looks back at the television. He’s never watched it before. It’s bright and loud and fascinating.

‘Might have to take you to a salon,’ Ging says. He pulls up on a few strands of Kite’s hair, trying to get them out of a knot. They stick. Ging yanks, and they break.

Kite whines and puts his hand up to his head.

‘Sorry,’ Ging mutters. He works until the end of the television episode, and even then he’s only got the bottom four inches of Kite’s hair untangled. The worst knots are in the underside of his hair, up near Kite’s neck. ‘Okay, time to put you in the tub again.’

Kite follows Ging to the bathroom and sits down in the tub. Ging washes through Kite’s hair, lathering the shampoo up against his scalp. He holds the shower head close to Kite’s head and lets the water run through his hair until it runs down clear. Then he slathers half a bottle of conditioner through Kite’s hair. He leaves it in, and they go back out to the bedroom and settle down in front of the television again.

Kite sits on his towel on the floor, and his hair drips water down Ging’s legs and onto his feet and makes a damp spot in the grey carpet of the hotel room.

Ging sits on the bed, Kite settled between his knees, and keeps working. He hums softly and whispers ‘sorry’ when Kite winces or slaps him away.

The tangles near Kite’s neck are massive. Ging holds one in his hand. It’s bigger than his fist.

Ging grabs a knife from his bag and cuts down the centre of the tangle.

‘Ah!’ Kite cries. He yanks away fully from Ging and glares back at him hotly.

‘Don’t worry. It barely cut it,’ Ging chides, pulling Kite back by the shoulder. He works the comb through the tangle and a clump of hair comes out on it. Ging tucks that away behind him where Kite can’t see and continues to comb. ‘It’s fine. You’ll just get layers.’

Kite looks apprehensive, but he doesn’t fight.

Ging cuts through the other three major tangles. More hair comes out in little bird’s nests, and Ging tucks them away behind him too.

‘We’re getting there,’ he tells Kite.

Kite whines and rubs at his scalp. Ging gives him a lollipop to distract him. Kite grabs it, tears off the wrapping, and shoves it in his mouth.

‘Is that good?’ Ging asks.

Kite nods and glances back at him suspiciously, like he’s afraid he’ll take it away.

Ging touches his cheek. ‘Okay.’

Kite flinches at the touch and turns away again. He rubs at his cheek.

Ging nods and keeps untangling Kite’s hair. He doesn’t ask who hurt him because it isn’t his business and Kite wouldn’t tell anyway. Ging might not know a lot about people, but he knows that much.

‘Is it done?’ Kite says an hour later. The lollipop is almost gone.

‘Almost,’ Ging answers. He runs his hand through a section of Kite’s hair, and his fingers don’t catch. ‘It’s beautiful.’

Kite smiles back at him. He sits up a bit straighter.

Ging gives him another lollipop. Kite unwraps it just as quickly as the last one. His lips are stained red.

‘We’re getting there,’ Ging murmurs. The knots are starting to come out faster now.

Kite licks the lollipop and watches the television. ‘It hurts,’ he whimpers when Ging tugs again.

‘Sorry, honey.’ Ging’s not sure why he called Kite honey. He looks like a honey. He looks like any sweet name you could call him. He makes Ging think of a kitten.

Kite pulls the lollipop out of his mouth and holds it up against the lamp light to see the colour. He sucks on it again, glances back at Ging.

‘You have such beautiful hair,’ Ging says. He leaves the smaller tangles. It seems like too much for one time. ‘Bath now.’

Kite gets in the tub, and Ging washes his hair again.

‘Are you done?’ Kite says.

‘Yeah,’ Ging says. ‘For tonight.’

Ging shuts the water off, and Kite gets out and wraps himself in the dry towel Ging hands him.

‘Night clothes,’ Ging says.

He finds Kite a shirt and shorts and some underwear from his clothes, and Kite dresses in them carefully. He turns in front of the mirror, watching himself, touching his smooth hair and clean skin.

‘You clean up well,’ Ging says.

Kite glances at him. ‘Why?’

Ging laughs. ‘Just do.’

Kite sits down on the floor again and watches the television.

‘I’m gonna get dinner,’ Ging says. ‘I’ll be back. Don’t run away.’

‘Where would I go?’

 

 

 

 

Ging gets two large veggie pizzas from a small restaurant down the road from the hotel and milk and a bag of red grapes from the corner grocery store.

Kite’s still there when he comes back, but he’s moved up from the floor onto one of the beds and is holding onto a pillow. He jumps when Ging comes in.

‘Dinner,’ Ging says. He drops the food onto the small round table pushed up against the only window and takes his boots off.

Kite watches as Ging washes the grapes. Ging whistles and puts the grapes on the night stand. He puts the milk and a paper cup next to them and takes one of the pizza boxes and places it on the bed in front of Kite.

‘You eat.’

Ging takes the other pizza and settles cross legged on the other bed. He grabs a piece and eats it slowly, making sure not to watch Kite. He can still see him out of the corner of his eye, gulping down milk and devouring his pizza.

Kite jumps every time Ging happens to glance at him.

‘It’s okay,’ Ging says. ‘The food’s for you.’

Kite doesn’t look convinced, and he doesn’t slow down. The pizza is delicious but heavy, and his stomach hurts from eating that fast. He pours a fourth cup of milk and drains it.

‘Slow down,’ Ging says. ‘You’ll make yourself sick.’

Kite slows down because Ging hasn’t taken the food yet and Ging’s kept him for two days and his stomach really is turning.

Ging finds a silly movie, and Kite watches it, eyes narrowed in interest, but shining. Kite eats the pizza slowly now, pulling at the cheese with his fingers. He holds up a long strand and tilts his head back to eat it.

Ging watches him now. Kite’s arms are too skinny and covered with bruises. His legs are too, and he has scratches all over, especially on his hands and knees.

‘Do you like pizza?’ Ging says.

‘Yeah.’

Kite grabs a bunch of grapes and eats them one after the other. His gaze is split between the movie and the grapes as he picks them off the stem.

Ging finishes what’s he’s going to eat for dinner and puts the rest of his pizza away in the mini fridge. He settles on his bed, propped up with pillows, and munches on grapes.

‘I like movies,’ Kite says suddenly.

‘Yeah? You’ve seen movies?’

‘Just this one.’ Kite hugs his pillow tighter.

‘Hmm.’

Kite looks down at the pizza. He hasn’t eaten all of it, but his stomach hurts so badly it’s hard to force himself to eat more.

‘You full?’ Ging says.

‘…Maybe.’

‘You can have the rest for breakfast.’

Kite licks his lip. He stares at the unfinished pizza, stares at Ging.

‘I’m not gonna eat it,’ Ging says.

Kite eats a bit more and then reluctantly closes the box and puts it in the fridge with Ging’s pizza. He shuts the fridge and gets into bed under the covers and lies there, holding his pillow.

Ging scrolls through his laptop, and Kite watches the movie. He’s a little lump under the blankets with just his eyes showing. He stays there, and the bed gets very warm.

The movie comes to an end and a horror flick comes on. Kite shivers under the blankets, his eyes growing wider. He yelps when the killer comes on screen.

Ging glances at the television. He hadn’t been paying attention.

‘You don’t have to watch that,’ he says.

‘I want to,’ Kite says, voice shaking.

‘Yeah?’

Kite nods. He clutches the pillow and watches intently. Ging puts his laptop away and stretches. He closes his eyes.

Suddenly Kite’s curled up against him. He presses his face to Ging’s chest and wraps his arms and legs around him.

Ging holds him, touches his still damp hair. ‘Is it scary?’

Kite nods. ‘But I want to watch it.’

‘Okay.’

Ging puts the blankets over both of them and squeezes Kite tightly. He’s an awkward, bony little thing, and his nails dig into Ging where he clutches at him.

‘Do you still like movies?’ Ging asks.

‘Yeah,’ Kite says. ‘I love them.’

Ging pulls Kite fully onto his lap and runs his hand over his still knotted hair. Kite stares at the screen, terrified and fascinated. He presses his face to Ging’s chest again, shivering.

Ging tangles his hand up in Kite’s hair.

‘It’s gonna be okay,’ he says. ‘You’re mine now.’

Kite looks up at him. He stares for a long time. ‘Okay,’ he says.


	2. Chapter 2

Ging wakes up and Kite is still curled beside him. His long tangled hair lies across his face and shoulders and creeps along Ging.

It's morning. The sun is low in the sky, and the room is pink. Ging stirs, and Kite whimpers in protest.

Carefully, Ging detaches himself from Kite and slides a pillow in his place. Kite clings to it, whining softly.

Ging washes up in the bathroom. He messes with his hair, but it stays just as disorganized as always. He leaves it and goes back out to check on Kite.

Kite is curled around the pillow. He's awake and watches Ging intently.

'Morning,' Ging says. He sits beside him and pulls gently on his hair. 'Slept?'

Kite nods. He clings tighter to the pillow. Ging puts the television on. Kite perks up a little. He studies the screen, biting his lip.

'Brush your teeth,' Ging says.

Kite scrambles into the bathroom and scrubs his teeth. He splashes water on his face and then settles in front of the television.

Ging sits behind him and rubs his scalp.

'Gotta get out these tangles.'

Kite looks back at him. 'Lollipop?'

Ging smiles. 'Yeah, sure.'

Kite sucks on the lollipop and sits very straight. He looks resolved and barely flinches.

'Good boy,' Ging murmurs. 'You're doing such a good job.'

Kite's hair is silky today from all the conditioner, and the knots relent more easily.

'There it goes,' Ging says.

Whole locks of hair are free now. Ging pulls them aside and wraps them with hair ties.

Kite touches his ponytails.

'I did brush it,' he says.

'Didn't do a good job,' Ging teases. He nudges Kite's shoulder with his knee.

Kite laughs a little, and it's a beautiful sound.

Ging leans over him and tickles his ribs. Kite giggles and nudges Ging back.

Ging tickles him again. Kite gasps out a little indignant breath. He smiles a second later though, giggly and blushing.

'Ticklish,' Ging says.

'So are you.'

'So am not,' Ging answers proudly. 'I'm immune to all of that.'

Kite tickles Ging's foot.

Ging jerks his foot back. 'Um. No, you don't get to do that.'

Kite's eyes shine. 'You are ticklish!'

'Not.' Ging sticks his tongue out.

'Are.' But Kite doesn't try to tickle him again.

Ging rubs small circles on Kite's back.

'Maybe you're an exception,' he says.

'No because you are.' Kite looks back at him, eyes gleaming.

'Whatever you say.'

Kite settles back to watching television, and Ging works on the tangles.

'Sometimes I got candy,' Kite says.

'Yeah?'

'Yeah.'

'Okay.'

The room slowly grows darker. Clouds gather in the sky. It is going to rain.

Ging picks out the last snarl in Kite's hair. He runs his fingers through it. It's soft and mostly smooth. There are a few places where individual strands knotted on themselves.

Ging plucks those out as Kite groans in protest. Ging shushes him.

'Almost done.'

He runs the brush through Kite's hair, and it doesn't catch. He brushes carefully, and Kite leans back against his legs.

'So beautiful,' Ging murmurs. He kisses the top of Kite's head.

Kite touches his hair. He slides it through his fingers.

'Thank you,' he says.

'Uh huh.' Ging jumps up. 'Time for breakfast!'

They eat the leftovers and watch television.

Kite settles on the bed near Ging now. He sits cross legged, his knee pressed to Ging's.

'I like pizza,' he says. 'And grapes and lollipops.'

'Good.'

'And I like you.'

Ging smiles. 'I like you too.'

After breakfast they go out to stand on the porch under the eaves of the hotel. Rain falls fast before them, hitting the eaves and pouring down in a sheet onto the pavement.

It's cold, and Kite shivers.

Ging puts his arm out to him. Kite leans into him, shivers again.

'I hate rain,' he says.

Ging puts both arms around him.

 'I really hate rain,' Kite says.

 

In the evening they snuggle into bed after dinner. Kite places Ging's hands on him to be petted. He watches Ging with dark, curious eyes. He says, 'I don't know why you like me.'

'Because we're friends now,' Ging says, 'and friends like each other.'

Kite mumbles something unintelligible.

Ging kisses the top of his head. 'And we're friends because we like each other.'

'Hmm.' Kite clutches Ging's shirt.

Ging pulls him closer, running his hand over his hair and down his back and leg.

'I like you because you're kind and gentle in ways I could never be. And you're strong and brave and you want to fight like hell.'

Kite bites his lip. 'Okay.' He still looks uncertain.

Ging kisses his temple. 'It's true. That's why I caught you.'

Kite stares up at him. 'Okay.'

Ging tickles Kite's tummy. 'And that's why I'm gonna keep you.'

Kite giggles, not pulling away. He touches Ging's hand and carefully lines up their fingers.

Ging stares back at him. 'I'm gonna take care of you,' he says.

Kite laces their fingers together. 'Yeah?'

'Yeah.'

Kite puts his head on Ging's chest and wraps his arms around his waist. The rain is still falling hard outside, but he's warm and dry. Ging feels strong beside him, but that makes him feel safe not scared.

'I'm cold,' he says even though he isn't. But he feels cold somewhere inside him.

Ging pulls him tighter and holds the blankets firmly around him.

'I'm gonna keep you warm,' he says.

'Okay,' Kite says.

The rain picks up.


End file.
